The Oregon brand

The Oregon brand

The purpose of Brand Oregon and The Book of Oregon (this campaign) is to educate people on
how Oregon and Oregon products are unique and desirable because the people in Oregon dream big
and have the heart to make their dreams happen.
This Style Guide provides general guidance to organizations interested in using Brand Oregon
messages and graphic elements in promotional efforts and campaigns, whether it’s for products or
services or destinations. It is the hope of Governor Ted Kulongoski to create an opportunity for both
the public and private sectors to reinforce the belief that our state is a place that nurtures individuals’
dreams, and where quality pervades all forms of business and civic life.
Oregon is many things to many people, but there are core values that a branded Oregon marketing
effort can reinforce:
• Pride of place
• Rugged individualism; a willingness to take risks
• A sense that we are in charge of our own destiny
• “Applied idealism”
• Commitment to family
• Public access to the outdoors
• Superior agricultural products
• Quality workmanship; educated workforce
• Creative, innovative people; intersting culture
• Youth oriented
• A place with endless possibilities—where individuals can realize their dreams
Brand Oregon marketing and communications should reflect a commitment to quality and to our
people. The tone should capture our idealism and prespective. The look and feel should reinforce
Oregon as one of the most geographically diverse and beautiful states in the nation. Our friendliness
and warmth towards each other and outsiders also should be reflected in branded communications.
Whether it’s a tourism website or an agricultural marketing campaign or parks facilities guide or a
direct-mail piece encouraging business development, we want to stand apart from the average and
communicate that Oregon is different. The Brand Oregon campaign is a far-reaching effort that will
be as challenging as it is exciting. The bottom line is to define Oregon—our products and services
and destinations—in a way that tells our stories and showcases our people.
As Craig Wessel, editor of the Business Journal, so eloquently put it, “There are few places on earth,
and even fewer in the United States, whose mention evokes and image of a lifestyle and a type of
individual the way Oregon does … Nobody dreams of moving to Michigan to be ‘of them.’ Nobody
dreams of moving to Arkansas to be part of that lifestyle. But people dream about Oregon. Oregon
conjures a picture in the mind’s eye and the [Brand Oregon] campaign gives life to that image … It
showcases what is most loved about the state by those of us who live here and what is most longed
for by those who do not. A ruggedness. An intelligence. A respect for the environment. And a
wildness of land and spirit that is lacking elsewhere.”

writing/ad copy
Each piece should serve as a page in The Book and therefore should be a story about an example (a
person, place, event or thing) of Oregon’s applied idealism.
The story should:
1 Be about something in Oregon.
2 Outline a clear benefit to visiting Oregon or buying an Oregon product or starting a business
here.
3 Be true.
4 Be fun to read.
5 Have a title in the format of “The Oregon _______.”
6 Have a subhead which creates interest and gets across the overall point of the story.
7 Have the tagline: “Oregon. We love dreamers.”

photography
Photography is focused on people. When your article or story is about a person or their business the
photos used must be a portrait or contain a couple of individuals, so that they are the focus. The
environment is always secondary, but must add value, intrigue and interest to the image. When
showcasing product, service or industry, try to get photos that contain people performing the service,
making the product or on the job in the industry.
The photography must be:
• inviting
• graphic (for stopping power in publications)
• modern/fresh
• humorous/quirky/intriguing

Graphics
A great source for graphic pictos as seen in the examples can be found at http://www.clipart.com/

Graphics, cont.
The Book elements—inside pages, covers—have been prepared and made available for download at
the Brand Oregon web site. The cover file may be opened in Photoshop (or other photo manipulating
software) to be colored and customized for your specific publication.

Fonts

Colors

Placement and document settings

Print
print Ads

print
magazine editorial

print
magazine editorial

print
fact sheet—metals industry

print
business recruitment materials

business recruitment materials, cont.

label program
A series of Brand Oregon product labes has been created—Oregon Born, Oregon Wild and Oregon
Raised—to identify Oregon-produced products in retail stores, on merchandise and in packaging.
The standards for using these labels are currently being developed; the new seafood campaign uses
the Oregon Wild label. Additional labels may be created through marketing partnerships established
between Brand Oregon and our partner organizations.